Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-02-19


antly for three hours, and then went TO ave cabi-
more"
american climate AFFECTS you very severely" the
reporter asked.
STILL suFFKRER FROM STAGE FRIGHT.
I'm the west suffered great deal, /" Mr. Bar
rett answered. knocking about from town to
town in all sorts Of weather came pretty hard.
Just as we got to Chicago terrible blizzard came
down. and IL was like rushing suddenly from sum-
mer 10 midwinter. l am very nervous on the
stage: :o The moment go on all the pores OF my
In stream. Now, last night in Hamlet In the
ghost scene, could hear the perspiration as 1t
face. Then when leave the stage with nv pores
open the slightest draft shuts them up in Ji1y.
reel cold chills creeping up my back, ana know
~ never go on in an important part, he con-
tinued, In answer TO question, without being
ness You viii hear people talk Of actors walk
Ing through their parts, but can't do it. don't
want to do it: An actor may become 50 familiar
part almost mechanically, and yet satisfies the
intelligence; but you can't move the heart unless
you feel the emotion yourself That after al, Is
am willing even to sacrifice to some degree what
would be called artistic finish. The smooth and
beautiful reading and nicely correct posing and
action The audience go away able TO snalyze
and point out the beauties Of his art but they say
to touch my audience, TO work them up to enthus-
iasm by means which they may not be exactly
need is there to look further2 That is the end OF
aacsingmt9 move the emotional nature to STIR the
honest. natural methods.
CONSERVATISM OF THE STAGE.
''The stage is the most conservative institution
In the world, " Mr. Barrett resumed, after dispos-
ing OF three or four more persons who called or
sent their cards up. "The slightest change Is
looked upon as impertinent and revolutionary by
those who have grown old in its traditions The
n1hcant bolt or brace about it, no matter how
clumsy or antiquated it may be, is chung to from
generation to generation, where in other bust
long ago have come into use. In France it is
worse than in England, for in England men Of
%ha rhs critics whe ats6rS these after aaa
wa OF the cid stage are are sws telling us
especially disposed to look with disfavOr on any
thing like innovations. They say, He gave a
was vigorous and Intelligent, he read the lines
well, but still he Is not great actor ask them
what they mean by great actor. ! find it is
style; that the passages which they heard the old
actors rec1te with the dignffled deuberation
which characterized the old artificial school, were
given with a rigid regard to the meaning OF the
words. 1t is extraordinary how even men Of in
telligence and education will allow themselves to
looking TO its meaning. They forget that speeches
put into the mouths or the personages OF dramas
represent thoughts that flashed quick as tighten
ing through the brain This is especially true Of
ShakeSpeare's dramas. how absurd to suppose
that many OF his perSonages paused In the midst
Of the most terrible crises to declaim as the old
school Of actors did the speeches. full of poetry
and philosophy, which are put into their mouths.
HUMAN NATURE Is ALWAYS THE sANI,
and it Is this which / strive to exemplfy con-
stantly. Because the time Of a play is In the
middle ages, or In ancient Greece or Rome, why
should the characters be less vigorous, natural,
uncOnstrained men and women than they are to.
day3
ssMETHINa ABOUT 'HA,eLEr"
''Now as TO the character OF Hamlet, why
should we suppose that Shakespeare wished TO
make mystery of perhaps his most beautiful and
wonderful creation? What nonsense to think be
should not want 1t understood and appreciated by
the most ordinary person. We hear great deal
about the philosophy and poetry OF the part, but
not have been thought by an Intelligent young
man OF twenty, for that, as you know, is the age
which regard as that which Shakespeare meant
to represent. Hamlet was precociOus, an ex-
traOrdinary young man Of twenty. Laertes says
to Ophetia in his parting advice to her,
aSIa issh aoa asd Gp # bSsd nature
Ayloiss IN nth the youth Of Pri@y nature;
Think il no more: '"''" NV .-''
For nature, crescent, does not grow alone
Grows wide without
"Now what can this mean," continued Mr.. Bar
rett 'if not that Hamlet is still young uniformed
precOc1OuS? Can you imagine anyone talking
thus OF man OF thirty, as Hamlet has 80 long
been held to have been at the time the play openS7
1t is asSuredly the description Of a boy lover
Moreover, II Hamlet was thirty, why was he not
king, should have been, even If the monarchy was
elective in Denmark? Again. In this same speech
or Ldertes, we have proof that his youth was the
which he was destined when he came OF the
proper age.
For s b w Himself nIf n Is subject to his birth;
pSt as for eS s cSes
The safety and the health Of the whole state;
And therefore must his choice be circumscribed
TnsS the S Ssi e a. and Yielding OF that body
sSThen when his supposed madness has puxzled
are css IN to See %na tSsy
do with him or make OF him. The King says to
them in effect: you are boys together, you have
secret II you cam And Ratnlet, welcoming them,
conjures them by the conSonancy OF our youth
Hnd go on nun an tSreu9s the NAV the text s e
illusions to the youth OF Hamlet
"HAMLET" NAN OF ACTION.
"You speak OF the self-doubttng, tempor1zing,
irresolute character OF Hamlet. do not md it
so. On the contrary, regard Hamlet as wonder
play opens we ind him grieving for hts father,
who has been dead month Hos'otso tells him Of
the appar1tion. He questions him Is closely
when they tell him it was armed from top to toe,
he asks: Then you saw not his faceF Horoei0
Ss %s rom
night and resolves 70 speak TO the appaEition i
Ali this he does; follows determinedly the dread
full vts,tant; learns the truth which ne nad half
sn Ct bis Sroscs ssnns
In order the more easily TO accomplish his |